2. Technical Field:
This invention relates to devices for insufflating gas into a mass of molten metal so as to produce a desirable stirring action.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Prior devices of the type may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,396,179 of Aug. 2, 1983 to Micheal D. LaBate, 4,483,520 of Nov. 20, 1984 to Micheal D. LaBate, 4,538,795 of Sept. 3, 1985 to Micheal D. LaBate, 4,632,367 of Dec. 30, 1986 to Micheal D. LaBate, 4,687,184 of Aug. 18, 1987 to Micheal D. LaBate and Joseph A. Perri, and 4,725,047 of Feb. 16, 1988 to Micheal D. LaBate.
In all of these prior art devices, the gas must flow upwardly through an annular cone-shaped passageway formed about a refractory plug positioned in a cavity in a pocket block or the like.
The present invention comprises an improvement with respect to the prior art devices in that a block shaped section of refractory material, preferably ceramic and vitrified, adapted to form a part of the refractory brick lining in a container of molten metal such as a ladle carries a gas supply tube which communicates with a plurality of smaller metal tubes embedded in the block of ceramic material and arranged in a circular pattern in which the smaller metal tubes are spirally positioned in a cone-shaped configuration communicating with the upper surface of the ceramic block so that gas such as argon delivered therethrough into molten metal will be imparted a swirling, stirring motion by reason of the directional inclination of each of the several smaller metal tubes, portions of which are flattened to form relatively narrow rectangular openings sized to control the volume of gas delivered therethrough.